A WELL-KNOWN golf enthusiast and Wimborne Minster guide has died at the age of 85.

Keith Smart lived in Whitehouse Road, Wimborne from 1988 until he moved into the Magna Care Home. His wife, Shirley, died in December 2016 after they had enjoyed many happy years of retirement in Dorset.

Keith was involved with the University of the 3rd Age teaching calligraphy and water colours. He was a keen table tennis player but golf was always his passion. He and Shirley were very active members at Broadstone Golf club where Keith helped with the Juniors and then later at the Canford School course.

Born in Portsmouth on September 22 1932, Keith spent the war years first with relatives in Blackpool and lwas later evacuated with Portsmouth Grammar School to Brockenhurst.

Having gained his school certificate and following National Service he was encouraged by his father to apply for a job as a draughtsman and he worked as a Civil Engineer for the next 33 years, mainly in London. Projects he worked on included the Snowdon Aviary at London Zoo, Chelsea and Newcastle football stadiums, and hospitals in Cardiff and Dublin.

In March 1957 Keith married Shirley Cobb at St Mary's Church, Portsmouth, where he'd once been a choir boy. They had three children, Andrew, a comedian, Neil, a vicar in Brockenhurst, and Rosalind, a charity organiser with MATCH.

In the early sixties the family moved to Farnborough. As the boys grew up Keith became more involved with the Scout movement. He moved from 2nd Cove's cub football coach to organising a World Scout Jamboree in Rushmore Arena for 20,000 scouts from all over the globe.

Keith died at the care home on February 12. He leaves behind his three children and eight grandchildren.

There will be a memorial wake at Broadstone Golf Club on March 9 from 3pm until 6pm. Donations in his memory can be made to the Dorset Cancer Centre at Poole Hospital.